Imperial Palace, Chiyoda

Home of the imperial family, Imperial Palace and its expansive grounds stand among the city's most popular attractions for foreign visitors. Badly damaged during World War II, the palace underwent a massive reconstruction project in the 1960s. Today, visitors tour the complex at the heart of the city to see the living and working quarters of the imperial family, as well as an array of historic landmarks that include lush gardens and a famous stone bridge. Keep in mind that you must book a tour by phone or via the palace website in order to join a guided tour on the day of your visit. Tour spots fill up fast, so reserve yours early to avoid disappointment upon arrival. Put Imperial Palace into our Tokyo holiday planner and find out what's close by, where to stay, and where to head next.

I was able to visit without a reservation. The time was fixed, and it was a first-come, first-served basis twice a day. You can also make a reservation in advance, but after the reception at The Gate, you will be taken by a guide and take you for a walk in the Imperial Palace for about an hour. Indeed, the imperial palace is not seen, but there were a lot of historical buildings such as the former Privy Council government building, the Imperial Household Agency government building, and Yagura, and it was a tour of a lot of attractions such as the palace which was familiar with a general visit etc.

The imperial palace in Tokyo is great to visit. It's right in down town Tokyo so the contrast between the castle and ultra modern down town Tokyo is fantastic. It was very interesting to s how they made the walls and gates to be so that it would be very difficult for an attacker to be successful. It's also extremely large. The grounds inside are huge.

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By Mario Mankowski

Super hard to navigate to the gate that’s open and getting to the Palace itself almost impossible visiting times 9am and 12:30pm only Tuesday-Saturday tickets are free but it’s a limited amount of guest that they let in so get there early! But while inside the free tour guide in English is provided and the place is wonderful!